A free weekly with initial distribution of 40,000, it first published in late March 1984.[1] The Audit Bureau of Circulation says the paid circulation of the Times was 6000 in September 1983, down from 7700 a year before. It was staffed by three former Times employees and "a handful of journalism students."[1]

A reporter since age 20, the 38-year-old Judi McLeod was a municipal affairs reporter for two years, before being transferred to the family section. McLeod suggests this was due to pressure from unhappy politicians.[1] Judi McLeod received a Western Ontario Newspaper Award for her political coverage.

Publisher Victor Mlodecki and Judi disputed the transferral; her husband backed her, as the paper's managing editor. Both were soon fired, after she continued to write political stories. John McLeod had separately raised ire by cancelling a meeting between newspaper staff and Ontario Premier William Davis, MPP for Brampton, and writing an editorial urging Davis not to become involved in municipal elections.[1]

The McLeods sued The Brampton Times for wrongful dismissal. They wrote at The Toronto Sun the next year, for a few months before the new paper's first publishing.

The first issue of was published a year to the day after the dismal, they told the Globe this was coincidental.[1] "We're not there out of revenge or to get back at the politicians who ran us out of town. We're there to put out a decent, independent community newspaper."[1]